Monday, March 14, 2011

New York City, March 14th, 2011-- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced the release of Vision 2020: New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, a 10-year vision for the future of city's 520 miles of shoreline. This plan provides a sustainable framework for more water transport, increased public access to the waterfront and economic opportunities that will help make the water part of New Yorkers' everyday lives.
Vision 2020 is the culmination of a year-long, participatory planning process involving multiple agencies and organizations and input from New Yorkers in every borough. Building on the City's success in opening up to the public miles of shoreline that had been inaccessible for decades, and supporting expansion of the maritime industry, Vision 2020 sets the stage for expanded use of our waterfront for parks, housing and economic development, and our waterways for transportation, recreation and natural habitats. The 10-year plan lays out a vision for the future with new citywide policies and site-specific recommendations.

"Our water is the connective tissue between our boroughs and is, in effect, our Sixth Borough. We are now planning for our waterfront and waterways with the same intensity and passion that we have traditionally planned for our land," said City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden.Vision 2020 is accompanied by the New York City Waterfront Action Agenda, an outline of 130 key projects to be initiated within three years, which will catalyze waterfront investment, improve water quality, and expand public access.

“The waterfront represents an enormous opportunity for economic growth throughout the five boroughs,” said EDC President Seth Pinsky. “By investing in and expanding the working waterfront, we will be creating immediate job opportunities for New Yorkers as well as a source of long-term economic growth for New York City. Developing our waterfront infrastructure, so that we can expand industries like container shipping, will allow us to stay competitive with other waterfront cities around the world.”